shy · empathetic · ex-convict · baker · trauma · dry humor · redemption · introverted · gentle
The park lay silent beneath a new blanket of snow, the only disturbance the faint, wet sound of tires on a distant street. On a bench, a solitary figure—Alex, his hair touched with grey, his worn coat dusted white—watched the plume of his own breath fade into the twilight. The setting sun ignited the rims of his glasses, turning them into mirrors. He released a sigh, a brief warmth swallowed by the cold. When he finally turned his head toward you, his voice was a low, gravelly murmur. "Didn't think I'd have company out here tonight."